GI Bill

1. Apply to a school. Applying for your GI Bill benefits is an easy, straightforward process. Here we’ll give you the necessary steps to apply for the GI Bill and get you moving toward your degree or job training.

2. Apply with the VA. Apply to a school that is approved for VA benefits. Find schools, employers, and testing organizations with the VA School Comparison Tool. Apply for the GI Bill with the VA.

For active duty, you may need approval from your chain-of-command or Education Service Officer (ESO) when applying for the GI Bill. For veterans, you may be required to provide a copy of your DD 214 Discharge Paperwork.

3. Certificate of Eligibility. If the VA determines you are eligible for the GI Bill they will send your “Certificate of Eligibility”. This certificate should be taken to your school which will then enroll you and send your enrollment information to the VA. You can find your Certificate of Eligibility on the eBenefits website or have it mailed to you directly.

4. Attend Classes. Start attending classes and use your GI Bill benefits.

Source: Military.com

• College Degree Programs - GI Bill benefits are available for courses at Four Year Universities, Community Colleges and for Advanced Degree Programs

• Vocational and Technical Training - If college isn’t your thing, the GI Bill can be used for technical or vocational training. The VA refers to this as non-college-degree training.

• Apprenticeship and On-the-Job Training -  Looking to get right to work? The VA will pay you GI Bill benefits while receiving On-the-Job training or during an Apprenticeship training program.

• Licensing & Certification Reimbursement - Get reimbursed for licensing and certification tests as well as approved preparatory courses.

• National Testing Programs - Your GI Bill can be used to pay for nationally approved tests. The VA will reimburse the cost of the test.

• Flight Training - If you have a private pilot’s license your GI Bill benefits can be used to pay for further flight training.

• Correspondence Training

• Work-study Programs - Looking to learn from home? The GI Bill can help pay for coursework completed at home. If you’re a full-time or ¾-time student you can get paid with a VA work-study allowance.

• Tuition Assistance Top-Up -  Need to make up the difference between the cost of your education and Military Tuition Assistance? The GI Bill Tuition Assistance Top-Up can be used to cover that cost.

• Tutorial Assistance - If your courses aren’t going as planned, the GI Bill can help pay for tutoring to get you through a difficult course.

Source: Military.com

The Post-9/11 GI Bill allows you to transfer all or some of your unused benefits to your spouse or dependent children. The military determines whether or not you can transfer benefits to your family. Once your service approves your eligibility to transfer your benefits, your dependents can apply for them through the VA.

Who Can Transfer Their GI Bill Benefits?

Any active military member who is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill who has less than 16 years of service, and:

• Has at least six years of service and agrees to serve an additional four years

• Has at least 10 years of service and can't commit to four more years because of the regulation (i.e. High Year Tenure, etc)

You MUST transfer benefits while on active duty.

Who Can Receive Transferred GI Bill Benefits?

If you are eligible to transfer benefits you can transfer them to:

• Your spouse

• One or more of your children

• Any combination of spouse and child

The family member must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) at the time of transfer.

If your child gets married it doesn't affect their eligibility to receive the transferred benefits.

If you get divorced, your ex-spouse can still use the transferred benefits.

You can take away or change the transferred benefits to any dependent at any time.

How to Transfer Your Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits

You can only apply to transfer benefits while you are on active duty, once you leave active duty it is too late. You should either apply online at the DMDC Website or follow your service's instructions.

After leaving the military you can make changes to the amount of GI Bill transferred to each dependent by contacting the VA.

Details On Using Transferred GI Bill Benefits

You can transfer any remaining portion of your GI Bill entitlement. If you haven't used any, you can transfer it all.

Pro-tip: While you are on active duty you should give each of your dependents at least one month of transferred GI Bill, this gets them in the system. You can always add or subtract entitlement after you get out. But, if you don't add them into the system while you are on active duty (with at least one month of entitlement), you are out of luck later, you won't be able to add them.

A spouse:

• May start to use their benefits immediately

• May use their benefits while you are in service or after you get out

• Can't get the monthly housing allowance while you are on active duty

• If you got out of the military before Jan. 1, 2013, they have 15 years from your discharge to use their benefits. If you get out after that, there is no time limit

A child:

• May start to use their benefits only after you have completed at least 10 years of service

• May use their benefits while you are on active duty or after you get out

• Can't use their benefits until they have a high-school diploma or certificate, or they have turned 18

• Can get the monthly housing allowance even though you are on active duty

• Can only use the transferred benefits until they are 26 years old.

Source: Military.com

STATE VS. FEDERAL BENEFIT 

The Hazlewood Exemption provides a tuition and fee exemption to eligible Texas veterans and, in some cases, their spouses or dependents. Veterans must meet service entry or residency conditions; serve at least 181 days on active duty; and be discharged honorably or under honorable conditions. The Hazlewood Legacy Act, of 2009, enables veterans to transfer up to 150 semester credit hours (SCH) to their dependents. If the dependents meet certain criteria, their tuition and fees are waived at Texas public institutions of higher education (IHE). 

The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill provides education benefits to veterans with at least 90 days of active duty military service after September 10, 2001. Veterans who serve at least three years and are honorably discharged receive the full benefit. This benefit includes tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, a stipend for books and supplies, and other aid. Unlike the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB), which provides a monthly stipend to the beneficiary, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill pays tuition and fees to the IHE. 

Source: State vs. Federal Benefits